Starter control for internal combustion engines



Y. SEKELLA April us, 1940.

STARTER CONTROL FOR INTERNAL CONBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BY :Se/ceiw ORNEY:

April Y. SEK ELL A 2,197,715

1 STARTER CONTROL FOR INTERNAL CQIBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mme/84.- INVENTOR- fiuM/w I BY mda/ 'ITORNEY.

Patented Apr. 16, 1940 STARTER CONTROL FOR INTERNAL COM- BUSTION ENGINES Youston Sekeila, Elmira Heights, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application December 23, 1938, Serial No. 247,463

8 Claims. (Cl. 290-38) The present invention relates to a starter control for internal combustion engines and more particularly to a two-stage starting system in which the starting gearing is engaged by energization of the starting motor at less than the full battery voltage, after which the full voltage is applied to the motor to crank the engine.

Devices of this type have been proposed in which the final meshing movement of the pinion i0 is used to control a switching device for applying the full battery voltage to the motor, and such arrangements possess the advantage that the motor is never fully energized until after the pinion is meshed with the engine gear. However, it has been found that the rubbing of the pinion on its control switch member during cranking causes rapid wear thereof, and pumping or hunting of the pinion tends to cause opening and closing of the contacts controlled therego by, thus causing unsteady or interrupted crank- It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel two-stage starter control system in which the gearing is meshed by. energization of :5 the starting motor by less than the full battery voltage, and the starting motor is notfully energized until the gearing has been fully engaged.

It is another'object to provide such a device in which the full energization of the starting motor is controlled by the final meshing movement of the starter pinion.

It is a further object to provide such a device in which the control mechanism is not subject to wear during the starting operation.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the control mechanism is not affected by longitudinal movement or pumping 'of the starter pinion during the starting operation.

Further objects and advantages will be appar- 10 ent from the following description taken in connection. with the accompanying drawings in which: 1

Fig. l is a semi-diagrammatic illustration of the starting system incorporating a preferred if) embodimentof the present invention, the starter gearing and control switch being shown partly in side elevation and partly in-section;

Fig. 2 is a detail partly in section and partly in side elevation of the starter gearing and switch showing the parts in cranking position; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a second embodiment of the invention.

In Fig. l of the drawings there is illustrated a starting system including a battery I grounded at 2 and connected by a lead I to a magnetic switch 4, the coil 5 of which is arranged to be energized from the battery I under the control of a manual switch 6. Magnetic switch 4 is connected by a lead I through a resistor 8 and lead 9 to a starting motor SM which is grounded at 12 to complete the starting circuit. It will be understood that the battery I is of high voltage to enable the starting motor to crank large and heavy engines such as Diesel engines, and the resistor 8 is of such value as to reduce the effective voltage of the battery on the starting motor to a suitable value toefiect the engagement of the starter gearing.

The starting motor SM is provided with an extended armature shaft l3 mounted at its outer end in an outboard bearing It in an extension l5 of the motor housing. A screw shaft i6 is loosely mounted on the armature shaft l3 and yieldably connected thereto by any suitable means such as a springll. A pinion member I8 is threaded on the screw shaft It for movement into and out of engagement with a member such as a flywheel gear I9 of the engine to be started. The operative position of the pinion i 8 is defined by a stop member 2i fixed in any suitable way on the screw shaft.

According to the present invention, an electro-. magnetic switch indicated generally by numeral 22 is used to bridge the resistor 8 and apply full battery voltage to the starting motor when the pinion l8 has become fully meshed with the engine gear i9.

here shown, switch 22 comcauses contact 21 to connect contacts 23 and 25."

Means for actuating plunger 28 is provided in the form of an armature'32 fixed thereon and adapted to be attracted by a field magnet 38 energized by a coil3l. One end of. coil 84 is connected by a lead 35 to a binding post 36 which is connected by a'lead 21. to the starting circuit lead 24. The opposite 'end of the coil 34. is grounded as indicated at 38.

Armature 32 is normally maintained spaced from the field 88 by yielding means such as a spring 39, the tension of which is adjustable as by means of a tension screw 4 I.

The space 42 between the armature and field is such that energization of coil 34 is ineifective to move the armature into engagement with the field.

According to the present invention, means are provided for partially closing the magnetic switch 22 by moving the armature 32 into proximity to the field 33 when the pinion I8 is meshed with the engine gear l9. As here shown, this is ac-' complished by providing the pinion I8 with a circular fiange in the form of a counterweight 43, and attaching a cam-shaped abutment member 44 on the end of the plunger 28 in position to be engaged by the counterweight 43 when the pinion is in operative position. When the plunger has been so raised by the engagement of the cam energized by reduced battery voltage by virtue of the resistor 8. The acceleration of the starting motor shaft i3 causes traversal of the pinion member l8 on the screw shaft IS in the usual manner whereby the pinion is meshed with the engine gear l9 and the counterweight 43 engages and raises the cam abutment member 44 and plunger 28.

Closure of the magnetic switch 4 causes energization of the coil 34 of the magnetic switch 22, but prior to the engagement of the pinion with the engine gear, this energization is ineffective to move the armature 32. When the plunger 28 is raised by the cam member 44 as actuated by the counterweight 43 of the pinion member, however, the coil 34 becomes effective to complete the closure of the magnetic switch 22, whereupon the resistor 8 is bridged out and the full battery Voltage applied to the starting motor to crank the engine.

It will be appreciated that during the cranking operation, the cam 44 is withdrawn from the counterweight 43 as shown in Fig. 2 so that no wear of these parts takes place. Moreover, the magnetic switch 22 is maintained closed by the coil 34 irrespective of any pumping or hunting action of the pinion member 18.

When the engine starts, the pinion I8 is automatically demeshed by the overrunning action of the engine gear, whereupon opening of the manual switch 6 restores the parts to their original positions.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the elements of the starting system are the same as in the first embodiment of the inven tion and are similarly numbered. In this case, however, the magnetic switch for bridging the resistor 8 is of somewhat different construction and operation.

The magnetic switch is-indicated generally by numeral 52 and comprises a fixed contact 53 connected to the lead 24, and a fixed contact 55 connected to the lead 25. A bridging contact 51 is slidably mounted on a plunger 58 and is yieldably maintained against a stop nut 59 by means of a spring 6|. Plunger 58 has fixed thereon in any suitable manner a magnetic core 62 which with the plunger 58 is slidably mounted within a i 501' =noid 63. One end of coil 63 is connected by a lead 64 to a binding post 65 to which the lead 31 is attached, and the other end of the solenoid 83 is brought out by a lead 86 to an insulated switch contact 61. The lower portion of the core 52 carries a grounding contact in the form of a flexible disc 68 arranged to engage the contact 61 when the switch is closed. The lower end of the core 82 is threaded as shown at 69 and has fixed thereon a cam abutment member H which extends out into the path of the counterweight 43 of pinion member IS. The housing 12 of the magnetic switch 52 is preferably provided with a terminal flange l3 defining the idle position of the cam member H. A spring 14 is preferably provided for yieldingly maintaining the plunger 58 in switch-open position as illustrated.

The casing 12 of switch 52 is attached to the extension l5 of the motor casing in any suitable manner as by means of studs 15.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention, closure of the manual switch 6 energizes the coil 5 to close the magnetic switch 4, thus completing the circuit from the battery I through resistor 8 to the starting motor SM. At this time the solenoid 63 of the magnetic switch 52 is not energized since the grounding contact 68 is not in engagement with the contact 61 so that the circuit through the solenoid is not completed.

Energization of the starting motor SM by closure of the switch 4 causes traversal of the pinion member l8 into engagement with the engine gear l8 at which time the counter-weight 43 engages the cam member H and partially closes the magnetic switch 52, thus bringing the grounding contact 88 into engagement with the solenoid contact 51. Solenoid B3 is thus energized and completes the closure of the magnetic switch whereby full battery voltage is applied to the starting motor for cranking the engine.

When the engine starts, the pinion I8 is automatically demeshed, and upon opening of the manual switch 5, the remaining parts of the system return to their idle positions.

Although but two embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and various changes may be made in the arrangement and operation of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In an engine starter control, a starting motor, a pinion member movable thereby to engage and drive a member of an engine to be started, a starting circuit for said motor including a battery, a resistor and a switch for closing the circuit through the resistor, a magetic switch for bridging the resistor, and means including an abutment engageable by the pinion member when in driving relation with the engine member for causing closure of the magnetic switch, said abutment being movable out of engagement with the pinion member by the closure of the magnetic switch. V

2. In an engine starter control, a starting motor, a pinion member movable thereby to engage and drive a member of an engine to be started, a starting circuit for said motor including a battery, a resistor and a switch for closing the circuit through the resistor, a magnetic switch for bridging the resistor, means for partially closing the magnetic switch including a cam in the path of the pinion as it moves into engagement with the engine member, and a control circuit for energizing the magnetic switch to complete the closure thereof and thereby move the cam out of the path of the pinion.

8. In combination,-a motor, drive gearing operated thereby including a pinion longitudinally movable into mesh with a gear of an engine to be started, means for partially energizing said motor to engage the pinion with the engine gear, and means including an abutment member actuated' by the meshing movement of the pinion for causing full energization of the motor, said last means being operative to withdraw the abutment member out of contact with the pinion.

'4. In combination, a motor, drive gearing operated thereby including a pinion longitudinally movable into mesh with a gear of an engine to be started, means including a manually operable switch for partially energizing said motor to engage the pinion with the engine gear, means including a second switch for fully energizing the starting motor to crank the engine, means actuated by the meshing movement of the pinion to partially close the second switch, and means energized by closure of the manually operable switch to move the second switch from partly closed to fully closed position and to maintain it closed.

5. In an engine starter control, a starting circuit including a battery, a starting motor and means including a manually controllable switch for energizing the starting motor at less than the full voltage of the battery, drive gearing for connecting the starting motor to an engine to be started including a pinion movable by acceleration of the starting motor into engagement with a gear on the engine to be started, a magnetic switch for applying full battery voltage to the starting motor, said magnetic switch being energized by closure of .the manually controllable switch but having its armature normally out of the zone of 'efiective influence of the magnet, and means actuated by the final engaging movement of the starter pinion for moving said armature into proximity to the magnet.

6. In an engine starter control, a starting circuit including a battery, a starting motor and means including a manually controllable switch for energizing the starting motor at less than the full voltage 01' the battery, drive gearing for connecting the starting motor to an engine to be started including a pinion movable by acceleration of the starting motor into engagement with a gear on the engine to be started, a magnetic switch for applying full battery voltage to the starting motor, said magnetic switch being energized by closure of the manually controllable switch but having its armature normally out of the zone of effective influence of the magnet, and abutment means engaged by the starter pinion when in mesh with the engine gear, operative to move the armature into the zone of influence of the magnet, said magnet being thereupon effective to close the magnetic switch, and means opi e'rative by closure of the magnetic switch to withdraw the abutment means from engagement by the starter pinion.

7. In an engine starter control, a starting circuit including a battery, a starting motor, a resistor for reducing the voltage of the battery, and a starting switch for closing the circuit through said resistor; gearing for connecting the starting motor to the engine to be started including a pinion movable by acceleration of the starting motor into mesh with a gear on the engine, a magnetic switch arranged in shunt with the resistor having a magnet energized by closure of the starting switch, and an armature normally out of the zone of influence of the magnet; and abutment means engaged by the pinion in its final meshing movement to move the armature into the zone of infiuence of the magnet,

said magnet being thereupon effective to close the magnetic switch and cause full energization .of the starting motor.

8. In an engine starting system, a battery, a starting motor having a pinion adapted to engage and drive a member of. an engine to be started, a two-stage starter control therefor comprising means including a switch for applying low voltage from the battery to the starting motor to cause it to move the pinion into operative posi- 

